Across The Ditch: Rakero Rocket faces big test as stars shine across codes
Across the Ditch • December 19th, 2025 12:06 PM
Harness Racing - Adam Hamilton
The buzz around former Kiwi pacer Rakero Rocket is big, but he faces a huge test first-up in Australia at Menangle on Saturday night.
Now trained by Jason Grimson of Swayzee fame, Rakero Rocket clashes with one of Australia’s best pacers, Don Hugo, in the Ultra Air Cup (1609m).
Rakero Rocket, who hasn’t raced since finishing down the track in the NZ Cup on November 11, does have the advantage of drawing gate nine and inside Don Hugo (10).
But Don Hugo goes into the race having beaten the great Leap To Fame for the second time when he won an epic $A250,000 Group 1 Blacks A Fake at Albion Park last Saturday week.
Grimson had hoped to give Rakero Rocket his first Aussie run in the Blacks A Fake, but, surprisingly, he didn’t make the cut for a spot in the field.
Cam Hart returns from some recent Victorian raids, to drive Rakero Rocket at Menangle.
There is also a big watch for Kiwis on another Grimson runner at Menangle, former talented Kiwi mare Tokyo Rose, in race four.
The rising six-year-old won eight races in NZ for Mark Jones and hasn’t started since a ninth at Addington on November 21.
It will be interesting where Don Hugo and Rakero Rocket go after this week’s race.
The $40,000 Shirley Turnbull Memorial (2790m) on Boxing Night is a possible target and looms as a ripper race.
Grimson’s dual NZ Cup winner Swayzee, who ran an eye-catching first-up third at Menangle last week, is headed to that race.
There’s a big chance the in-form Captains Knock, who made it six wins on end beating Swayzee last week, could head there, too.
Saturday night’s Melton highlight is the Aldebaran Park Trotters’ Handicap where joint 30m backmarkers Ollivici and Im Bobby hold the key.
“This is as good as we’ve had Ollivici in a long time,” co-trainer Chris Lang said.
Thoroughbred Racing - Nick Quinn
The Magic Millions picture will become slightly clearer after a big day of racing at Caufield on Saturday. Race 5 is the Magic Millions VIC 2YO Classic over 1100 metres and Race 8 is the Magic Millions VIC 3YO & 4YO Classic over 1200 metres.
Of the 11 runners in the Magic Millions two year-old race, only two have had Raceday experience with Oman (4th) and Ko Phangan both finishing unplaced behind Almost An Angel on debut.
Unit Five with Thomas Stockdale in the saddle for Ciaron Maher heads the market at $2.80 ahead of the Price-Kent Junior trained Guest House at $3.20 and the Mark Walker Kiss Me In Paris at $6.
Looking longer term, Paradoxium is the $3 pre-post favourite after winning at Wyong.
There has been pre-post specking for Unit Fire backed from $51 into $15.
Guest House is also $15.
Early bets on Race 5 include $900 on Unit Five at $2.90 and $500 on Kiss Me In Paris at $6.50.
Race 8 has Stay Focused a well backed market leader backed from $6 into $3.70.
In what shapes as a strong racecard, punters are keen to back Job Done from the Price-Kent Junior stable.
Early bets include $1604 at $2.25, $1538 at $2.30, $1353 at $2.25, two bets of $600 at $2.25 and $600 at $2.
Job Done resumed from a spell with a strong win at Caulfield.
Greyhound Racing - Jared Timms
Group 1 racing will grace Sydney’s Wentworth Park for the final time in 2025 on Saturday night when a strong edition of the Paul Wheeler Simply The Best is contested.
Last week’s six heats produced several stunning performances, including that of the resuming Taormina, who booked her ticket to Saturday’s final in a gutsy 29.57.
Unlucky not to have won in Group 1 company at just her fourth career start back in January, Taormina has enjoyed a strong year, recording 19 wins and a further 13 minors placing from her 42 trips to the races.
Having tapered off after recording seven-consecutive wins through June and August, the daughter of Fernando Bale looks to have returned to action in impressive form again and will only improve into this week’s feature race, according to co-trainer Andy Lord.
“She was carrying a hamstring problem and had a month off before winning over 440m at Goulburn on November 14,” he said.
“But she pulled up sore again after that race, and we eased her up to set her for tonight’s race.
“The only two trials Taormina had going into the Paul Wheeler Heat were a 300m and a 400m hit-out, so she is really something special.”
Standing in Taormina’s way on Saturday night will be several key hopes, including Victorian raider Croydon, who recorded the fastest qualifying time of 29.55.
“He had not seen Wentworth Park before these heats,” co-trainer Mark Delbridge said after the race.
Group 1 winner Sooty Keeping has drawn ideally into the Paul Wheeler Simply The Best field in Box 1 and has opened a $2.40 favourite ahead of Taormina ($4) while Croydon, charged with overcoming Box 8, is a $7 chance.
